Scenes of tension unfolded Thursday night in Tehran, when citizens began shouting slogans from their homes and , responding to the call of the Shah’s exiled successor, Reza Pahlavi. According to testimonies, the of which have spread throughout the country.
Shortly after the protests began, Iranian authorities cut off internet access and phone lines, a measure that has preceded heavy crackdowns in the past.
The Pahlavi bet and slogans in favor of the Shah
The protests were the first test of whether Iranian society can rally around Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah, who fled Iran shortly before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
At several rallies, slogans were heard in favor of the Shah – something that in the past could even attract the death penalty. Now, however, these slogans highlight the depth of anger fueled by the severe economic crisis.
Dead, arrests and closed markets
Thursday’s demonstrations followed protests that broke out in cities and rural areas on Wednesday. More markets and bazaars were closed in support of the protesters.
Non-stop gunfire in Tehran right now. Without urgent international support, the regime will slaughter innocent people. We need help
— Amin Pouria (@mamadporii)
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 41 people have died, while more than 2,270 have been arrested. The escalation is increasing pressure, both on the civilian government and on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Death to dictatorship” on the streets of Tehran
Pahlavi had called for mass demonstrations at 8pm (local time) on Thursday and Friday. When the clock struck the appointed time, entire neighborhoods of Tehran “exploded” with slogans such as “Death to the dictator!” and “Death to the Islamic Republic!”.
Other protesters chanted: “This is the last battle! Pahlavi will return!”, while thousands took to the streets.
The warning to the regime and the look of Trump
“Great nation of Iran, the eyes of the whole world are on you. Take to the streets and, united, shout your demands,” said Pahlavi. At the same time, he warned the Islamic Republic, its leader and the Revolutionary Guards that “the world and President Donald Trump are watching closely.”
The remarks come as Trump has warned that the US will intervene if Tehran “brutally kills peaceful protesters”, prompting a sharp reaction from Iran’s foreign ministry.
The protests are leaderless – fears of a bloody crackdown
Despite the tension, the movement remains largely without a central leadership. Analysts point out that the absence of a credible alternative has undermined Iranian uprisings in the past.
At the same time, Iranian media reported attacks against security forces, in various regions of the country, with dead and wounded, which intensifies fears of a generalized repression.
“The same requests, over and over again”
Nobel Peace Prize winner Nargis Mohammadi remains imprisoned, while her son, Ali Rahmani, said Iranians “are taking to the streets, like in 2009 and 2019, with the same demands: the end of the Islamic Republic, the end of a patriarchal, dictatorial and theocratic regime.”
The question that remains open is whether the new wave of anger will succeed this time in changing the course of the country.
